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“Have a better relationship with your makeup and take the time to learn what your products will do. “-Sam Fine

So just yesterday I read a very interesting post on a forum from a 50 something year old woman who said she never cared or wore makeup until she was in her late 40’s and now that she’s in her 50’s she struggles with finding a simple eye makeup routine.

She writes further that even though she’s religious and good with her skincare routine and can do foundation with ease, eyeshadow application and liquid eyeliners (in specific) are her nemesis.

I found it so interesting and intriguing rather, because she says she never cared up until now and in her 50’s makeup is something she is looking into to make herself feel more attractive and put together… I say ‘GO FOR IT!’

I really do admire this attitude and it makes me so happy to see that a woman in her 50’s is open to experimenting with makeup and is willing to go that extra mile to look good 🙂

So (as you may have guessed), today’s post is for all you lovely ladies out there who are in your 40’s, 50’s or older and face similar difficulties with eye makeup in general.

I believe there are some basic issues that you deal with :

• How do you apply eye shadow and eyeliner when you’re older and your hand is not as steady as it once was and your eye sight is not great without reading glasses.

• How do you deal with dehydrated, droopy and sagging eyes?

• What if you have sensitive eyes and they twitch like crazy?

• How do you stop eyeshadow from creasing and bunching up?

Let’s jump right in and try to figure out a simple, yet effective eye makeup routine that you can stick to for everyday 🙂

1. Moisturise

Image: Getty

I would recommend start by giving your eyes & the area around it some love by simply investing in a good eye cream. As we mature, the area around our eyes tends to look dehydrated, so a great way to infuse life into it is to add moisture into the skin. Simply use your ring finger to dab and pat the cream around the eyes.

2. Pick Your Base Wisely

Image: Getty

The key to beautiful makeup application (irrespective of age) is that ‘LESS IS MORE’…always. So if you’re good with concealer, I recommend not taking your foundation all the way under and around your eyes. Use only 1 product – either foundation under the eye or concealer, not both. And don’t forget the inner corners – because more often than not, that’s the area that has the darkest shadow. Use your fingers to smooth the product in.

3. Prime!

Image: Thinkstock

If you have an eyelid primer, use it because it will change your eye makeup game! Mature lids tend to be heavier and droopier (mine already are at 29 because I have hooded eyes!), which means that skin will create folds and that’s where the eyeshadow will bunch up. A primer will ensure that your eyeshadow does NOT budge! Use your fingers to gently lift the skin under your eyebrow and use the other hand to smooth out primer making sure you cover the entire lid area. If you have oily skin and your eyeshadow or eyeliner transfers above your lid and onto your cheeks (in case you also apply kohl/eyeliner to your waterline), apply the primer all the way to your brow bone and also take it underneath your lower lash line. This will prevent any creasing or colour transfer.

4. Coming on to Eyeshadow

Image: Thinkstock

I say choose whatever colours you fancy! Don’t go by what people say will or will not suit you, because that’s the beauty of makeup!

The only thing I would recommend is that you use cream eyeshadows instead of powders and I’ll tell you why – if you say your hands are not as steady as you’d like them to be, I would choose to give minimum makeup brushes in your hand to avoid chances of poking yourself in the eyes… instead I would encourage you to use products that you can apply AND blend using your fingers (the best makeup tools ever in my books!). There are a ton of eyeshadow cream pots and creams in stick form in the market today, so choose any (I’ve listed a number of them if you’d like to try) :

On days when you want to do nothing fancy, just slap on some cream shadow, blend blend blend with your fingers and you’re good to go!

Another tip for mature eyes is that don’t take color anywhere above your crease, so keep the eyeshadow off your brow-bone.

The thumb rule is to stick to matte shadows and neutral colours… but what the heck, I say break the rules and find what feels good! …errr… ok, not glitter shadows maybe!!! However, if you like a bit shine, opt for shadows with sheen… they really do look beautiful 🙂

5. Eyeliner

Image: Getty

Try out powders and pencils and say no to liquid if your hand is not too steady. I would suggest using a soft pencil to line the area just above your eyelashes (really touching the lashes) and then smudging it out using your pinkie finger or a Q-tip or ear bud (works great!).

If you must use a liquid liner, then place your elbow on a flat surface, rest your pinkie finger on your face (on the cheeks maybe?) for added support & then draw a thin line.

I also highly recommend investing in a good magnifying mirror that you can use for makeup application. It’ll make life so much easier for you and makeup application won’t seem so challenging 🙂

6. Mascara

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If you’re scared of eyelash curlers, don’t use them. Your eyes are precious and we do not want you to poke them! Simply give your lashes 2 coats of mascara and see what you prefer – lengthening or volumizing and choose your mascara based on that. Also, if you have sensitive eyes, stay clear of fibre mascaras.

Some brands that are known for being good for sensitive eyes are Almay, Bare Minerals, Clinique, MAC, Lancome, Urban Decay and Neutrogena.

7. Brows

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Ladies... don’t EVER forget your brows, because that shapes your face and really brings the focus to your eyes. Fill in gaps using a pencil or powder or simply use a clear mascara to keep them in place. Another great alternative is brow mascaras/gel…yes there are mascaras for your brows! A few great options are: